Spade, shovel, fork or the like tool



1, 1953 A. HELIN SPADE, SHOVEL, FORK OR THE LIKE TOOL 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16, 1948 Dec. 1, 1953 A. HELIN 2,661,136

SPADE, SHOVEL, FORK OR THE LIKE TOQL Filed Jan. 16, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Anya/.65 HZ/A/ Dec. 1, 1953 HEUN SPADE, SHOVEL, FORK OR THE LIKE TOOL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 16, 1948 ATTORNEY Dec. 1, 1953 HELlN 2,661,186

SPADE, SHOVEL, FORK OR THE LIKE TOOL Filed Jan. 16, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 flaw/WA //L 11v INVENTO Patented Dec. 1, 1953 SPADE, SHOVEL, FORK OR THE LIKE TOOL Alphonse Helin, Vitry-le-Francois, France Application January 16, 1948, Serial No. 2,754 In Belgium March 23, 1946 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March 23, 1966 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device intimately associated with all tools such as spades, shovels, forks and any tool of this kind, or operated in a similar way. An object of the invention is to make the handling easier and less tiring, to increase efficiency by bringing in additional points of application for extra mechanical efiorts. The tools cooperate with a working support to which, in accordance with this invention, the handle is connected in a flexible way by any direct or indirect form of link-up whatever and/or any method of suspension, and/or any support with at least one connecting part or flexible attachment.

Taking .the subject of digging, the path followed by the tool is not a mere rotation around a single central point but is rather an intricate kind of motion following the action of the worker's body and arms, a motion that involves several turning movements around several simultaneous fixed or moving centers.

When digging, according to the invention, the clod is thrown forwards and upwards by centrifugal force. The various points of the clod differ in speed according to their turning radius, so that the lump of earth turns over in the air and falls back on the previous one with its upper portion resting in the bottom of the furrow.

The handle of the tool, according to the invention, is pivoted on an intermediate point of a working support, while it is hung in a flexible way to the upper part of the support, the lower portion of which rests on the ground. The upper end of the handle is provided with a single cross-piece with or without handholds or with a handle-bar with or without a damping device, so that the tool by means of this single handle, may be operated at the same time and in the same way by both arms, thus bringing to this type of adaptation an altogether new technique.

The improvements, that form the object of this invention may be carried into efiect under very varied structural forms according to the shape and size of the combined kinematic parts, as well as to the various combinations that may be made between such parts. Applicant has experimented with various structural forms and has succeeded in giving 60 strokes per minute with a spade in sandy soil, and practically, in average soil and for work lasting some time, 3:) to 45 strokes per minute.

-As an example and. without any binding restrictions 'to the invention, various Ways of carrying'it into effect are set forth in greater detail hereafter and. illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 a front view of an improved tool in accordance with the invention. 7

Figure 3 shows the apparatus at ning of the working cycle.

the begin- Figure 4 shows the start of an opening furrow by successive clods of earth cut out deeper and deeper.

Figure 5 shows the beginning of a plot of ground, in which the earth dug up in the first furrow is thrown at right angles to the sides, the apparatus making this a very simple performance and the following furrows being dug then in the normal way.

Figure 6 illustrates a lateral tilting motion obtained through the rotation of the tool in the plane of the handle and round its axis, under the action of the two hands pressing on a single cross-piece or on the grip of the handle bar.

Figures '7 to 11 show various modifications.

In Figures 1 and 2 are shown at l the spade blade, at 2 the single handle, at 3, the single cross-piece or handle-bar, at 4 and 5, fixed or rotary handholds, at 6, the bracket attached to the handle at a point of its length, at 1, the bearing fastened on the bracket, at 8, a stationary or movable spindle passing through the bearing and projecting beyond it on both sides.

Further, 9 and Hi designate the flanges of the working support, H and I2 the cross-pieces between said flanges, It the lower shoe connected to the support flanges 9 and l6, M a spindle passing through the support flanges at their upper end, 5 a grooved pulley set on the spindle l4 between the support flanges, I6 torsional coil springs, the tension of which can be adjusted by the length of the wires I l and I8, 17 wires connected with one end of the spring 16 by running in the pulley groove l5 and secured to the handle at Ila, 18 wires connecting the other end of spring 16 to the upper part of the handle at i8a, IS, an elastic stop fastened on the handle and damping the return bump and fixing the position of the support when inoperative. 20 denotes the elongated holes or slots in the support flanges 9 and I0 and taking both ends of spindle 8.

The working of the apparatus is as follows:

Figure 3 shows the starting position with the working support at a certain distance from the ground. In Figure 1, the spade blade is dug into the ground and the shoe i3 is resting on the ground. A second position of the tool is outlined in dotted lines after it has cut out a slice of ground. At this instant the worker stops abruptly all movement and holds the tool in an inclined position. This sharp stop allows the clod of earth to leave the blade i, through centrifugal action and to continue along the curved path defined by a combination of centrifugal force with the weight of the clod. The lower portion of the slice of earth has a greater speed than the upper part of the spadeful of earth turns over in its travel through the air and falls back into the furrow with thehead part down. The throwing of this spadeful is made easier in 3 the followlngway: the effort of the hands forwards and downwards causes the working support to pivot forwardly around the bearing point of the shoe I3 on the ground, the result being that the spadeful goes forward. Theturning of the handle 2 in relation to the roller [5 causes the spring [6 to stretch and at the moment when the spadeful is dug out of the .ground,..the spring pulls on the lower portion of the tool and throws the clod forward and up. The turning of the tool as a whole round the spindle t'gives also to the spadeful a motion forward and 'up.- Lastly, the pressure of the hands downwards and the resistance to digging'out the slice of earth causes the tool to descend in such a way that the spindle 8 drops down in the two elongated holes or slots of the support flanges 9 and I0 and the spring H3 is stretched. As soonas the slice is cut out of the ground, the spring It causes the tool to come up again between the two support-flanges, and the spindle 8 moves in the reverse direction towards the upper ends of the slots 26; This sharp return of the handle upwards throws the clod upand towards the front. As it will be observed all these movements combined cooperate in throwing the clod into the air as mentioned previously. With the working-cycle finished, the tool is lifted up ready to start again. The clod also may be pitched in an oblique oreven in a right-angle direction in relation to the plane in which theoperation of digging in the spade is performed; it issuiiicient towork with both hands on the handlebar and give at a simultaneous turningaround the axis of the handle. This entirely new arrangement allows a simultaneous novel working method for both arms, that may then exert in a normal way a maximum effort without it being necessary to twist the body; The apparatus is a simple structure and it is designed to the best advantage. In case of special tough-ness' of the soil, helpmay be given possibly for pushing in the blade by the foot placed on theshoe I32 It willbe noted that the normal rocking of' the handle causes a similar rocking-or the working support, but always and only forwards (that iii-- creases automatically the tension" of the spring 16 and promotes the throwing forward of' the clod. Various modifications in construction may be brought in, depending on the kind of'tool" or the nature of thework, and the applications anticipated.

Figures 7, 8 and 9' illustrate intotal or in part the arrangements of Figures' I and 2' in a specially satisfactory form of adaptation; These figures V aim at showing more particularly the flexible link between the tool and the working support.

Figure '7 shows by" means of' a general arrangement that the working support inclines always to sawing forwardunder the action of working stresses that must necessarily". have the d-irec-- tion marked by the arrow Fi The strain Fis transferred to F on the spindleA and maybe decomposed into a strain T irr the support flangesand a strain'N at right'angles' to the latter. The

toother: kinematic. combinations that havebeen' put forward previouslywiththe idea of getting satisfactory results. Numerous special arrangements now may be disclosed.

A single or double adjustment of the crosspiece or handle-bar may be brought about through the adoption of the arrangements illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 in which I have shown at 3 the cross-piece or handle-bar, at 4-5 the handles, at 34 the tube carrying the crosspiece, at 35 the two side plates, at 36 the U- shaped strap-rigid with the two side plates 35, at 37 the bearing plate or shell, at 38 a set screw, at 39:a threaded cross-piece taking the screw, at 40 a lock nut, at 4| :apertures in which the ends of the cross-piece 39 are engaged.

The attachment of the handle 2 to the working support is obtained'by a similar device, in which are found again similar parts 42 to 46 (Figures 8 and 9). There are also shown at 41, a U-shaped stirrup rigid with 42 and at 48 a fixed or movable pin held by stirrup 41. 9-40 designate again the working support flanges, while. 58 denotes oblong openings in the support flanges 59, an extra thickness of the support flanges round the openings 58 and 64-65 washei's with their outside surface in the shape of a spherical cap allowing the swinging of the pin 48 and of the handle 2 between the support flanges 9 and I0. 5i designates the suspension spring for the tool; this spring must always be under slight tension when not working: 48 desighates the upper cap linkingthe support flanges,

5t threaded tensioning means furnished with two certain number of. openings through it for.

later any optional auxiliary parts. What I claim. is:

shovel, or the. like too1-,. comprising a handle,

a handle bar upononeend' of said handle, a support member adapted tobear on the. groimd,v resilient means. interconnecting the handle and support and urging them towards each other, and means pivotally. supporting said handle intermediate its ends on. said support member and comprising at least one transverse axle and means carried .by said handle for. supporting said axle in front ofsaidhandle. said support member having slots through which" said axle e'ii' terids, whereby said support member may rock forwardly d'uri rig' ,th dp labiidll (if: $661.

ALIPHONSE References Cited in" the file" of this patent UNITED PATENTS 

